Thrifty parent: Should you opt for a travel system?

If you’re in the market for a stroller and infant car seat, this question has undoubtedly crossed your mind. A travel system offers one-stop shopping: It consists of an infant car seat, a car-seat base for your car, and a separate stroller all in one. With these systems, you create a carriage by snapping an infant car seat into a stroller. When your baby can sit up, then you use the stroller without the car seat. The snap-on car seat is generally positioned atop the stroller so the infant rides facing you—the person pushing. Once your baby can sit up, she can ride in the stroller seat without a car seat.

Pros: A travel system allows you to move a sleeping baby in an infant car seat undisturbed from car to stroller and vice versa. Some also have a seat that fully reclines, so you can use it as a carriage, with the infant car seat. (See all stroller types.)

Cons: With travel systems, a car seat and stroller are typically sold together. But you can also create your own by combining a car seat and stroller. If you select the car seat first, you have to live with the stroller it works with (and vice versa). An alternative is to choose a stroller that holds car seats from a number of manufacturers. With all travel systems, you have to push around a car seat and a stroller, which can be bulky and unmanageable on stairs.

Verdict: Consider your lifestyle before buying a travel system. If you’re a city dweller who negotiates more subway stairs than highways or if the trunk of your car isn’t too roomy, you may be better off with a separate car seat and a compact stroller that offers a reclined, safely-enclosed space that’s appropriate for a newborn, or an infant car seat with a car-seat carrier frame. Buying a travel system forces you to think about the type of stroller you’ll want to use now and later. If you’re not ready to make that decision, buy an infant car seat and an infant car-seat carrier frame. That should tide you over until your baby outgrows his infant car seat (at about a year).

Thrift tip: It can be cheaper to buy a travel system as a unit rather than as separate components. We estimate that you can save $60 to $100 that way. Plus you won’t have to match the car seat and stroller yourself. But be sure to evaluate the stroller as a stand-alone item first, since you’ll be using that longer than the infant car seat that goes with it.

Learn more about every kind of baby product in our latest Consumer Reports Guide to Baby Products, available in our bookstore and in bookstores nationwide.

Kolcraft, Carter's, Jeep and other play yards recalled

This week, Kolcraft recalled one million play yards because the side rail can unlatch unexpectedly, posing a fall hazard to children. Kolcraft has received 347 reports of  play yard sides collapsing, resulting in 21 injuries to young children, including bumps, scrapes, bruises and one concussion, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported.

The recall involves more than 20 models, including the Travelin’ Tot series sold under a number of brand names. In addition to Kolcraft, the play yards were manufactured for Carter’s, Sesame Street, Jeep, Contours, Care Bare and Eric Carle (check the recall notice for model numbers). Some of the units have a bassinet and/or changing table. Some models have a mobile, vibrating unit or a parent organizer. The model numbers can be found on a white sticker on one of the feet of the play yard.

Read more about this recall in the full post on our Safety blog. Learn more about play yards, inlcuding other models not to buy, in our full report.

Cloth vs. disposable diapers: Getting started

You’ll change thousands of diapers by the time your child is 2 to 3 years old and ready for the potty. Fortunately, diaper quality is better than ever, which makes the task easier. Although cloth diapers are making a comeback, disposable diapers continue to be a popular choice because they’re so convenient. (Learn more about diaper pails.)

Your first major decision in the diaper department will be between the cloth (a.k.a. “reusable”) or disposable (“single-use”) kind. Both types have their benefits and drawbacks. Disposable diapers are undeniably convenient, but they’re costly: You can expect to spend $1,500 to $2,000 or more on disposables by the time your baby is out of them. If you use “eco-friendly” disposable diapers, which are biodegradable or not bleached with chlorine, you’ll pay even more, an average of $1,600 to $2,500, depending on the number of diaper changes per day.

Cloth diapers can be much less expensive, especially if you wash them yourself. After paying the start-up costs—namely the waterproof covers you’ll need to lock in moisture, the diapers, diaper inserts (cloth pads added to increase absorbency), and flushable liners that help contain the mess and eliminate the need to rinse cloth diapers before depositing them in a diaper pail—you’ll spend hundreds of dollars less in diapering supplies over the years because you’ll wash and reuse them again and again. You might even be able to use them for more than one baby.

“People have this leftover image of rubber pants and pins,” says Betsy Thomas, co-owner of Bummis, a Montreal-based company that makes washable waterproof diaper covers and sells prefolds and fitted diapers to go with them. But cloth diapers that close with snaps or Velcro can be almost as easy to use as disposable diapers. Yet you still have to wash them. Despite a resurgence in the popularity of cloth diapers, disposable diapers continue to be an accepted choice among today’s parents, day-care centers and hospitals.

Learn more in the latest edition of Consumer Reports Guide to Baby Products, available in our bookstore and in bookstores nationwide.

Bouncy seats for babies--features to look for

When shopping for a bouncer or "bouncy" seat, here are some comfort and safety features to look for.

Seat belts. Most models have a soft fabric three-point crotch strap as a restraint; others have a five-point harness, which is ideal for newborns because they tend to list to the side or slide to the end of the seat. Check all fasteners on models with three-point or five-point harnesses to see that they’re strong, secure, and easy for you to work, and that they won’t poke your baby. They should be stiff enough to be safe without being so rigid that they pinch or are difficult for you to operate.

Head support. Seats with an adjustable, removable cushioned head support are ideal for newborns.

Seat positioning. Some bouncer seats recline more than others. At least two seatback positions—upright and recline—are a definite plus. The recline feature is necessary for infants, since they don’t have the head control that sitting, even on a slight incline, requires.

Canopy. Some models have a canopy to block light. The canopy can be a sunshade if your baby spends time in it outdoors, but be sure to position the bouncer in the shade so your baby won’t become overheated or get sunburned. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that infants under 6 months old not be exposed to direct sunlight. Even with a canopy, keep the bouncer in complete shade and dress your baby in clothes that cover her arms and legs as well as a hat with a brim.

Cushiness. Seat padding can vary from basic to extra-thick. Because wet diapers are bound to come in contact with the fabric covering, upholstery should be removable and machine washable (check the label). There also shouldn’t be any loose threads or gaps in the seams.

Frame. When you’re in the store, give the various display models a “bounce,” if possible. Bring your own batteries, in case the display models don’t have them. A bouncer seat should have a wide, stable base and be springy. If it seems stiff, it probably won’t bounce with your baby in it.

Seat fabric. Fabric patterns range from kiddy prints and colors to sophisticated solid and patterned color combos like gray and mandarin (orange), chili (red), or wasabi (lime green). A cloth seat cover is the norm; make sure it’s removable and machine washable.

Toy bar. Besides watching you and your family from the sidelines, your baby may enjoy the sensory stimulation of toys, sounds, and lights that many bouncer seats come with. A toy bar isn’t necessary in the early months, since your baby may not want to play with the toys all the time or even know what to do with them. Toy bars come into play around 4 months of age, though music and vibration features will likely be appreciated well before then. Toys usually are suspended from a removable play bar. Some models have toys that are pastel colored, which won’t make as dramatic an impact on your baby as brighter colors will. If your baby can’t reach the toy bar, position it so she can kick at it. Most bouncers allow you to take the play bar off and use just the seat for snoozing and quiet time. Not all models have toy bars, though many parents believe they’re a must-have, especially starting at around the 4-month mark. Don’t use the toy bar as a carrying handle.

Learn more about how to save money on bouncer seats for babies.

Quick shopping tip: Baby's first thermometer

For your baby’s first thermometer, go with an inexpensive digital model. Look for an LCD display that’s easy to read and a start button that’s easy to press. But don’t be swayed by digital thermometers that claim to take a reading in an instant. A reading in 20 to 60 seconds is quick enough.

Get more quick shopping tips in the 10th edition of the Consumer Reports Guide to Baby Products, and learn more about baby thermometers and taking baby's temperature in our full report.

Families and fireworks: Stay safe this 4th of July

The American Pyrotechnics Association, an industry trade group, tracks injuries relative to sales. While use of fireworks doubled from 1997 to 2007, injuries per 100,000 pounds dropped 40 percent.

That’s good news, of course, but it doesn’t mean much to the 9,800 adults and children who ended up in emergency rooms in 2007 because of fireworks, and it means even less to the 11 people who died.

As we approach the Fourth of July holiday, when fireworks injuries peak, it’s a good idea to know both the laws for your state (five states ban all consumer fireworks; five more allow only sparklers), and the best ways to stay safe around all those incendiary devices.

Read the rest of this post on our Safety blog, and learn more about fireworks safety from the American Acadmey of Pediatrics.

How to buy a used bike

Q: My 5-year-old is ready to learn how to ride a bike. To save money, I’m thinking about shopping for a used bicycle at tag sales. Are used bikes safe?

A: “They’re a fine option,” says Libby Thomas, research associate at the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center, in Chapel Hill. You’ll just want to make sure that whatever bicycle you buy fits your child properly. Hint: While sitting on the seat with hands on the handlebar, your child should be able to place the balls of both feet on the ground. Also, while straddling the center bar, your child should be able to stand with both feet flat on the ground with about a 1-inch clearance between the crotch and the bar. For bicycle safety tips, see http://www.aap.org/family/bicycle.htm.

You should also make sure the bike hasn’t been recalled. To avoid buying a used bike that’s inherently unsafe, check www.cpsc.gov before shopping. (Learn more about recalled products at tag sales.) After you’ve selected the right bike, make sure it’s bike trail, sidewalk, or road-worthy by performing basic maintenance before your child learns to ride or take it to a bike shop for a tune up. (Also see, should you buy a bargain bike?)

Cycle safety
Once you know your child’s bike is up to snuff, teach your child these traffic safety rules. Thomas says first be sure the conditions and location are age-appropriate for your child. Early skills should focus on good riding and bike handling—such as braking, dodging, and checking over the shoulder—well before the child rides near traffic. “As kids grow up, they might consider using their bike to commute to school or work, so the traffic safety they build on now can serve them well later,” Thomas says.

Before and as you’re riding with your child, remind her to:

--Always wear a lightweight, well-fitting bike helmet, even if she’s just peddling on the driveway, and wear one yourself to set a good example when you’re riding alone or with her. A bike helmet can reduce the risk of bicycle-related head and brain injuries by up to 88 percent, and facial injuries by two-thirds, according to data analysis published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. (See how to get a good bike-helmet fit.)
--Steer clear of pebbles, potholes, glass, and other objects as she’s riding.
--Stop at all red lights and stop signs.
--Ride with traffic in the farthest right lane that’s going your direction, to yield to pedestrians and oncoming traffic.
--Use hand signals when making a turn by pointing the right or left arm out, respectively, for a right or left turn.

If your child is a beginner, limit her bicycling trips to parks, bike paths, safe trails, and other areas where there are no cars. As she gets older and her skill level improves (use your best judgment on that one), graduate to neighborhood streets and other low-traffic areas, while still riding along with her, and so on. “You need to teach children how to ride safely in and around cars just like you teach them how to cross the street safely as a pedestrian,” says Thomas. For more pointers related to bicycle safety, see http://www.hsrc.unc.edu.

Five ways to save money on baby stuff

Check out these money saving ideas from the new 10th edition of Consumer Reports Best Baby Products, available in our online bookstore and in bookstores nationwide.

Go with store-brand disposable diapers. Although Consumer Reports tests show that the name brands are the top-rated disposable diapers, because overall they tend to be more absorbent and fit better, you may find store brands more than adequate—and a cost cutter. You’ll save about three cents per diaper if, for example, you compare the cost of size 1 Parent’s Choice diapers, Wal-Mart’s store-brand, with Pampers, also size 1. Saving pennies per diaper may not seem like much, but with 10 changes per day (which is reasonable with an infant), you’d bank about $9 per month and $108 per year using the size 1 store brand diapers.

Breast-feed if you can. It’ll save you $2,000 a year, the money you’d spend on infant formula.

If you choose or need to use infant formula, buy powdered formula. It cost less than concentrated liquid or liquid formula. And keep in mind that all infant formula sold in the U.S. must meet the same basic nutrient requirements specified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, so if your baby likes store-brand formula, buy it—in the largest-size cans you can find.

Get bargain-priced bottles. The best prices we’ve found on major-brand baby bottles were at Wal-Mart and Target. Major baby stores also offer sale and coupon mailers and newspaper inserts, so watch for them. The latest Babies “R” Us mailer we’ve seen gave a 15 percent discount on bottles and feeding accessories from Philips Avent, Dr. Brown’s, Born-Free, MAM, Evenflo, and Playtex. It also offered discounts on hundreds of other baby products.

Don’t think you have to shell out to get a quality stroller. Bigger-ticket strollers often have such comfy amenities as adjustable handles, which can save your back if you’re tall, but so do a number of cheaper models. In fact, a lower-end stroller may serve you well. For infrequent travel or trips to the mall, an umbrella stroller (less than $100) may be all you need for a child 6 months or older. But if you’re going to be strolling more often and through all kinds of weather conditions and terrain, consider spending more. But you don’t have to go high-end—in the range of $750 or more. You can find good quality all-purpose strollers starting at around $150.

Share your baby money-saving ideas with us!

Home cleaning tips with fewer chemicals

Parents naturally want to do everything they can to keep their children safe. But ironically, some of the same products we use to clean and freshen our homes can also introduce unwanted chemicals that linger in the air. Certain household cleaners and air fresheners fall into that category because they can emit volatile organic compounds.

Ongoing exposure to VOCs can contribute to eye, skin, and respiratory irritation; short- and long-term memory impairment; and even organ damage and cancer, depending on the specific chemicals and the extent of the exposure.

Here are some steps you can take to avoid introducing VOCs to your indoor air when you clean:

Avoid aerosol sprays. These include air fresheners, cleaners, and furniture polish.

Consider fume-free or homemade cleaners and avoid mixing and using different cleaners simultaneously. Check out these do-it-yourself cleaning recipes.

Prevent odors. Rather than using air fresheners, get rid of the source of the odor or leave a box of baking soda in the smelly area.

Limit dry cleaning that uses perc (perchloroethylene) and air out treated items before bringing them indoors. You can also try “wet” cleaning or other services that don’t use perc.

Read the rest of this and other posts on our ShopSmart blog. And learn more about low-VOC interior paints on our Home blog.

Do you try to minimize chemicals in your home? How? We'd like to hear your tips.

Stationary activity centers: Getting started

These all-in-one, molded-plastic play stations typically resemble traditional walkers—but without the wheels, which makes them a less risky way for your baby to have fun and get a little exercise.

A stationary activity center keeps your baby relatively safe in one spot while you do other things, such as make dinner—and maybe even eat some of it, too. A stationary activity center can be used as soon as your baby can sit up unassisted (some start at about 4 months and most by 6 months).

Most stationary activity centers adjust to three or more heights. Your baby will outgrow it when he’s 30 to 32 inches tall or weighs 25 to 30 pounds; that’s the maximum height and weight recommendation for most activity centers. You should stop using the activity center when your child can walk or even stand up by himself. A standing or walking child can tip it over and get injured or trapped. (See more activity center safety tips.)

Do you use a stationery activity center for your child? Share your experiences.

Baby weekender: Restaurant high chairs

Restaurant high chairs are notorious for having broken safety restraints and other defects. They can be dirty too, since chances are the chair you plop your toddler into hasn’t been cleaned since the last child used it.

One option: Bring your own portable hook-on chair (keep one in the trunk of your car). The JPMA currently certifies four brands of hook-on chairs: The Graco Travel Lite Table Chair, which retails for around $34.99, Chicco’s Caddy Hook-On high chair ($30), the Dorel Eddie Bauer Portable Hook-On Chair, ($39.99), and the Munchkin Feeding Friend Portable Hook-On Chair ($42.99). Consumer Reports has not tested them, however. Use one with a table top only, not with tablecloths or place mats.

If you do use the restaurant’s high chair, clean it with a baby wipe before putting your child in it. Clean his home high chair after every meal, too.

See our full report on high chairs for related information. And see our new baby book, Consumer Reports Best Baby Products, in our bookstore and in stores nationwide.

Child health and safety news roundup

Should you change your baby's formula?
When parents choose to bottle feed, they often interpret "difficult" behavior as a sign that cow's milk formula doesn't suit their baby. However, a new study suggests that you might not gain much by switching. Read the rest of this post on our Health blog.

Kids, camp, and flu prevention
We’re seeing an extended flu season this year partly because it has been a cool spring in many parts of the country. Schools are controlled environments with plenty of soap and water, but what about a less-controlled environment, like camp? Read the rest of this post on our Health blog.

Sam's Club entices kids to their … pharmacy?
Consumer Reports’ sister blog, the Consumerist, recently reported that a Sam's Club in Salisbury, Maryland is enticing kids to their pharmacy with pill bottles filled with candy. This is just the latest example of lousy marketing to kids. Read the rest of this post on our Safety blog.

Tag sales and recalled products
It’s now illegal to sell any product at a tag sale or garage sale that has been recalled. So before you slap price stickers on the stash in your basement, check www.recalls.gov. And if you’re shopping, we caution you not to buy a used crib, particularly one with drop sides or made before 1999. Also steer clear of car seats, play yards and any kids’ clothing with drawstrings. Read the rest of this post on our Safety blog.

Safety gates: Where you need them, how to install them

It’s crucial to get the right type of safety gate for each location in your home. Gates used at the top of stairs, indoors or outside, must be hardware-mounted. You can use pressure-mounted gates at the bottom of stairs and between rooms.

Prices range from $12.99 for a basic wooden pressure-mounted gate that extends to a maximum of 41 inches, to $134.99 for a wall-mounted gate of three 24-inch interlocking adjustable sections.

Here are more details on the two gate types:

Hardware-mounted or permanent gate
This type of gate requires screws for installation in a doorway. You drill holes in a door frame or into the studs behind a wall and attach the gate with brackets and screws. If properly secured to the doorjamb or between two walls, hardware-mounted gates are the most secure choice, although no gate can be guaranteed to keep a child in or out. Many hardware-mounted gates are made of wood, enamel-coated steel, or aluminum tubing.

Where you’ll need it: At the top of the stairs. Hardware-mounted gates are the only safe choice for stair locations. Most will swing open only one way, although you can decide which way you want a gate to swing. At the top of the stairs, a gate should swing away from the stairs (not over them) for maximum safety.

Installation: You must drill holes into the door frame or, if the opening doesn’t have a wood door frame, you must drill through the drywall or plaster into the wood framing behind. (You can fill in the holes later with wood putty or wall-patching compound when you no longer use the gate.) You can remove many of these gates from the mounting hardware when you want the doorway or opening free.

Pressure-mounted gate
A pressure-mounted gate is held in an opening by pressure against the door frame or walls. This type of gate can have two sliding panels that adjust to make the gate fit the opening. (You remove the panels or slide them to the side to walk through.) A pressure bar or some other locking mechanism then wedges the gate into place without hardware. A swing-style pressure-mounted gate, which has a gate door that swings open, is also an option. Pressure keeps it in place and installation doesn’t require drilling. Like hardware-mounted gates, pressure-mounted gates are often made of wood, enamel-coated steel, or aluminum tubing. They may also be made of plastic, wire, or nylon mesh or plastic-coated wire, which may be framed with end tubes and top rails of either wood or coated metal. A few are made with transparent plastic center panels.

Where you’ll need it: Pressure-mounted gates are suitable for less hazardous locations, such as between rooms. They’re useful in areas where falling isn’t a major concern, such as in a doorway separating two areas with same-level flooring; you might use one, for example, to cordon off your kitchen so you can make dinner without a crawling baby underfoot. You could also use one at the bottom of a stairway to discourage your little climber from venturing upstairs. Many manufacturers recommend not using a pressure-mounted gate at the top of stairs. We believe it is unsafe to use anything but a hardware-mounted gate at the top of stairs.

Installation: To set one up, you adjust it to fit the opening by squeezing it into position. A pressure bar or other locking mechanism wedges the gate in place, leaving no permanent holes, although it may mar the door frame or wall. Basic pressure gates fit openings between 26 and 38 inches, give or take a few inches, depending on the model. Many homes have wider door openings, so manufacturers offer wider models—some as wide as 62 inches. Some models have optional extensions you purchase separately. The Summer Infant Sure & Secure Custom-Fit Gate ($109, www.target.com), for example, can expand to fit openings as wide as 12 feet simply by adding more panels. (We have not tested this product.)

What does the JPMA certification seal really mean?

If you’re in the market for baby products, you’re likely to find the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) seal on many of them. JPMA certification seal means that a baby product has been tested by an independent facility and met the guidelines set by standards developer ASTM International.

JPMA is a national trade association of 300 companies that make and/or import baby products, that administers a program that certifies manufacturers. Although JPMA certification is a handy product reference point, not all babies' and children’s products, such as crib mattresses, pacifiers, and toys, are included in the certification program. However, these products must still meet federal standards—and can be recalled if they are not in compliance with the law.

Throughout Consumer Reports Best Baby Products, available in Consumer Reports' online bookstore and from all major booksellers, we note the products that are certified, which can guide your shopping trips. And for more information about the JPMA Certification Seal, visit www.jpma.org.

Child safety around cars: Two children perish in locked trunk

After the deaths last week of two Arkansas children who became locked in a car trunk, Kids and Cars has asked General Motors to recall sedans made in the 2000-01 model year before trunk-release latches became standard equipment.

Curtis Markley, 5, and his sister Virgina, 4, of Springdale, AR were discovered dead in the locked trunk of a 2000 Chevrolet Malibu. An autopsy report lists the cause of death as accidental environmental hyperthermia, or high body temperature. The temperature was in the 80s the day the siblings went missing.

Janette Fennell, founder and president of Kids and Cars, said she's sure Curtis and Virginia would have found their way out of the trunk if the car had been equipped with an emergency latch. She is pressing for a recall of older sedans.

Every year, some 10 to 20 people die trapped in a car trunk, estimates Fennell. Interior release handles have been mandatory since the 2002 model year. Entrapment incidents mostly happen in older cars, which aren't equipped with release handles.

To remedy that, some carmakers offered retrofit kits, but they are no longer available. Consumer Reports tested a retrofit kit called the Quick-Out Emergency Trunk Release that is available for $18 including shipping and handling. We found the kit easy to install using common tools. The handle glows in the dark making it easy to find, and the force required to pull the trunk release was easy for an adult.

If you are buying a sedan made before 2002, check to see if it's equipped with an interior trunk-release handle. If not, install the Quick-Out Emergency Trunk Release.

Read the rest of this post on our Safety blog, and see our Kids & cars safety guide for more information.